In Darkness, Angels
by Ranguvar27
Summary: Anthony and Amelia are looking forward to their wedding and the birth of their child. But lurking in the darkness is an old enemy that will stop at nothing to extract revenge.
1. Chapter 1 Releases

In Darkness, Angels

Chapter One: Releases

Anthony was ready to leave the hospital. He had recovered quite nicely from his gunshot wound, and now all he wanted to do was spend every moment he could with his Amelia and their unborn child. He smiled to himself as the thought that he was going to be a father entered his mind for the millionth time. When Amy had told him, his first immediate emotion had been sheer terror. How was he going to be able to care for a child? The responsibility seemed nearly overwhelming to him. But then he had seen the ecstatic look of pride and joy on his love's face, and the terror had been swiftly replaced with a sense of fierce pride and love. He made a vow to himself that the child would be loved as fiercely as his mother was.

He also hoped that he would have the same silver eyes as Amy.

His thoughts were interrupted when the doctor came into the room, chart in his hand. "Morning, Anthony. I'm happy to tell you that you will be able to leave in a few hours. We just need to finish the paperwork, and then you're free to go."

Anthony gave a great sigh of relief, grinning at the doctor in gratitude. He grabbed his pad from the table nearby. _'Good, I'm getting sick of this place.'_

The doctor chuckled at that. "Well, put up with us for just a bit longer, and then Miss Chase will be able to take you home." At that moment, he turned at the sound of footsteps. "Ahh, Miss Chase. We were just talking about you. Have you finished all the paperwork?"

Amy rolled her eyes and deposited a large pile of papers into the doctor's arms, frowning. "Yes, so can I please take Anthony home now? I've got plans for this evening, and I'd like to include him in them." Anthony gave her a wicked grin, and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Your mind is in the gutter, love." He merely smirked at her. Amy rolled her eyes again and turned to the doctor. "I suppose if I smacked him upside the head that would mean more paperwork?" The doctor nodded, chuckling, and she sighed. "Ah well. Anthony, are you ready?"

Anthony nodded eagerly and climbed out of bed, following Amy down to the parking lot. When they reached her car, he pressed her against the driver side door and pulled her into a deep kiss, nuzzling her hair and crooning. Amy sighed; smiling to herself as he gently traced her stomach with his fingers. She looked into his eyes, smiling. "Come on, let's get home. I've missed you."

Anthony slid into the passenger seat, and Amy drove away from the hospital. She looked over at him. "I bet you're wondering where we're going." He nodded, and she smirked. "Well, Kitty is at my apartment, so I thought we could go over to yours first. There's something I need you to do for me."

Anthony smirked to himself. When Amy pulled up in front of his apartment building, he hesitated, peering up into the building nearby. Amy caught his gaze and placed her hand on his arm. "Deavers is in custody awaiting trial. Everything's okay, I promise." She exited the car, heading for Anthony's apartment, and after a moment he followed her.

When they entered, Anthony frowned. The apartment looked-lived in. He glanced over at Amy, and she gave him a soft smile. "I've been staying here while you were in the hospital. Well, at night at least. I couldn't sleep by myself, and..." Anthony came forward and kissed her, steering her toward the bedroom, divesting her of her clothes with each step he took. She reciprocated, moaning in desire. "God Anthony, just being without you for a week was driving me out of my mind…I need you now…need you to make love to me…need you to fill me….I missed you so much my silent angel…"

Her knees bumped the edge of the bed, and she fell back onto it, pulling Anthony with her. They were both naked, and Anthony laved his tongue across her breasts in eager and frantic longing, his erection pressed against her thigh in anticipation. Amy gasped as she felt her breasts grow hard, and clear fluid leaked from her nipples. Anthony placed his mouth over her right breast, sucking, and squeezed her left with his hand until she was sobbing and panting in arousal. The heat between her legs grew to become a raging inferno, and she was dripping, she was so wet. Then she felt Anthony's long fingers stroking her there, ghosting across her hot, wet slit, and she whimpered in arousal and frustration. "Anthony…please…touch me…"

He obeyed, slipping first one finger, then three, deep inside her, and Amy yelped in joy and arched her back as her lover's fingers moved over and inside every inside of her sex, driving her to heights and pinnacles of sheer mindless pleasure. She shut her eyes, whispering his name over and over.

Then she felt his magnificent tongue probing her slit, darting in and out, and the whispers become soft growls. He licked her roughly, and she shouted his name and buried her hands in his hair, speaking in a lust drugged voice. "More…please…"

Anthony gave her what she wished for, his tongue and fingers moving inside her sex until she was weeping in joy and arousal, whimpering his name over and over as she felt her orgasm building. Her entire body was trembling, and Anthony held her in place with one arm as he devoured her, low growls of desire coming from his throat.

Amy felt her walls start to contract, and she clung to Anthony, screaming in ecstasy as orgasm after orgasm shot through her. After what felt like several blissful hours had gone by, she finally managed to breathe. "Oh…I missed that."

Anthony moved upwards, kissing her, and Amy smiled. "Of course, I…" she gasped as she felt him entering her, but managed to continue. "I missed this even more." That proved to be the extent of her coherent speech, and she wrapped her arms and legs around him, silently urging him to go deeper, faster, and harder, something that he eagerly did.

He gave a primal scream as he came inside her, his hands twisted almost painfully in her hair. Amy followed moments later with her own cry, digging her fingers deep into his back as her body rocked back and forth.

Anthony rolled off her, and then pulled her close, sighing in happiness and fulfillment as he nuzzled her neck. Amy sighed. "Well…I…think that more than makes up for the past week." Anthony chuckled against her throat, and then placed his hand on her stomach, giving her an inquisitive look. "Are you wondering if you poked the babe?" He nodded, and she giggled. "Baby, you are quite impressive in size, but you don't have to worry about that for at least six months. I'm only two weeks along."

He smiled in relief, and then reached for his notebook and pen. When he finished writing, he handed her the paper.

_'When you first told me you were pregnant, I was utterly terrified. I wasn't sure if I could take care of a child. I didn't know if I would be able to be the type of father mine was. I had spent most of my life being cold and emotionless, only using 'love' as a means to an end. But then you came into my life, and for the first time, I realized that love was something that was well worth experiencing. And the thought that the woman that I love more than anything in the world is carrying my child, and has agreed to marry me has me more scared, ecstatic, amazed, and proud than I could ever realize. I promise you, Amy, that I will never let anything happen to either of you. You both mean more to me than anything.'_

Amy smiled at him through her tears, kissing him. "You will be a wonderful father and husband." Anthony swelled in pride, and then pulled her into his arms, drifting off to sleep with her blueberry scent wafting through his thoughts.

A hundred miles away, Malcolm Deavers sat in a dank, dark jail, his mind filled with thoughts of revenge. If he couldn't have Amelia, then no one could.

An insane smile lit his features as he began to plot.


	2. Chapter 2 Parties and Plots

In Darkness, Angels

Chapter Two: Parties and Plots

Anthony woke to the sound of a bird singing outside his window. He sighed, then looked over at the woman curled up next to him, and ran his hand up and down her arm before planting a soft kiss on her collarbone and climbing out of bed. He pulled on his trousers and walked out onto the balcony, the cool morning breeze a comfort on his bare skin. He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, turning it over and over in his hands before sighing ruefully and pitching it over the railing. He sighed again, then headed inside, sitting on the edge of the bed and twisting his hands nervously.

"Anthony? What's wrong?" Amy scooted over to where he sat, wrapping her arms around him from behind. "What's the matter, babe?" He sighed and pointed to the silver cigarette case that lay on his bedside table. Amy looked over at it, then back to him. "You're going to quit?"

Anthony turned to face her and nodded, placing his hand on her stomach. He gestured for his pad, and Amy handed it to him_. 'I don't want to hurt the baby, Amy. I'm not dumb; I know that cigarettes are bad for him.'_

"Or her," Amy said, grinning. "But I'll help you get through this, I promise." She giggled. "Wait here, I'll be right back."

Anthony watched as she walked naked to the bathroom, growling in appreciation at her lovely backside. She emerged a few moments later clutching something in her hands.

"Here, this might help with your cravings." Anthony chuckled as she placed the item in his hands-a lock of her hair, tied with a length of dental floss. He twisted it in his fingers, rubbing it against his cheek in ecstasy, and Amy chuckled and sat next to him. "Will that help?"

Anthony nodded, then gave a low growl and pounced on her, pinning her underneath him before kissing her breathless. Amy kissed back, easing his trousers down and caressing him, and Anthony moaned as she coaxed him into hardness. He slid his hand in between their bodies, stroking her sex, and felt her grow wet. Amy moaned his name, and he parted her legs before entering her, a soft cry escaping his mouth at the blissful feeling.

As he moved inside her, he crooned in her ear, communicating his message without words. 'I love you, my angel, my love…my savior, my light…my soul…Te iubesc, Amelia…my soon to be wife."

Amy clung to him, her voice low as she answered his crooning. "I love you, Anthony. My silent angel, my savior, my life and soul. Te iubesc, Anton, my future husband."

After love, they dressed and walked out onto the balcony, Anthony carrying his cigarette case. He opened it and dumped the contents out over the railing, snapping the case shut. He looked over at Amy, and she grinned. "Good job, love. Are those the only ones you have?" He nodded, and she nodded. "Okay. So, what do you want to do today?"

He glanced back at the bed, then at her, smirking, and she rolled her eyes in affectionate exasperation and smacked his shoulder. "Besides that." Anthony pouted, and she laughed. "You are insatiable, aren't you?" He grinned and took her into his arms, kissing her. She sighed and kissed back, and he was about to steer her back into the bedroom when her cell phone went off. "Damn."

Anthony frowned as she detached herself from his arms, fumbling in her pocket for her phone. She pressed it to her ear, speaking in a perturbed voice. "Amelia Chase, this had better be good."

"_**Hey Amy!" **_

Amy sighed. "Hello Katherine. What do you want?"

Her sister's voice was apologetic. _**"Well…are you and Anthony doing anything today?"**_

"Not so far as I know, why?"

"_**Well, do you think you could come by the apartment later today?" **_

Amy thought for a moment. "Yes, I suppose we could. Why?"

Kitty chuckled. _**"It's a surprise. Could you come by at about three?"**_

"Yes, sure. Now, have you been going to school in the morning?"

"_**Yes. Are you done spending the night at Anthony's?" **_

Amy giggled. "For now. When we get there, I'll talk to you some more. Bye Kitty."

"_**Bye." **_

Amy ended the call, and Anthony looked over at her, a questioning expression on his face. Amy shrugged. "Kitty wants us to stop by the apartment at three. She says she has a surprise for us." Anthony grinned, and she laughed. "I do wonder what it could be." He shrugged expressively, then began to steer her back to the bed, and she sighed in pretend resignation. "Insatiable."

Malcolm sighed as he stared ahead at the tile wall of his jail cell. The first thing he needed to do was to get out of this place, then he could set his revenge plans in motion. But the first step was proving to be near impossible. He had no money for bail, and nobody that he could call. Even his court appointed lawyer-whom he had met a few hours ago-had been astonishingly incompetent at his job. Malcolm had clammed up within five minutes of meeting him, realizing that saying anything to the buffoon would be disastrous.

"Hey, Deavers! You've got a visitor!"

Malcolm looked over at the person standing in front of his cell. "Who the hell are you? New lawyer?"

The visitor laughed a sound that was filled with coughing. "No, I'm…a friend. I have a…well; I guess you could call it a business proposition. I'll pay your bail, and help you with anything else you might need."

Malcolm frowned. "What's the catch?"

"No catch, Mr. Deavers. This is a one time deal. You answer yes, and I pay the man out front and you walk out of here a free man. Answer no, and you'll walk out of here when you're old and bent double. I'll give you ten minutes to come up with an answer."

Ten minutes later, Malcolm had his answer. He smiled at his visitor. "I'll take the deal."

His visitor smiled maliciously. "Excellent, Mr. Deavers. Now, it will take me a few moments to pay your bail, and then we can get started."

Twenty minutes later, Malcolm's benefactor led him out of the jail and towards a black limousine. A large man wearing a chauffeur's uniform stood in front of the passenger door, opening it as they came near. Malcolm slid into the backseat, feeling a bit nervous, and the other person slid in next to him. The chauffeur got behind the wheel and drove off.

Malcolm turned to face the other passenger. "Okay, what's your role in all this?"

"I am an old…friend of the man you shot. I would love nothing more than to get my revenge on both him and that pathetic slip of a girl he seems to have fallen for."

Malcolm growled in anger. "That slut falls for a silent baboon like him and won't give me the time of day. She was meant to be mine, and if I can't have her, then neither can he!" He dug his fists into the leather seats, an insane smile making his features ghastly. "She will regret rejecting me."

"We've got many things to discuss, Deavers. Welcome aboard." They shook hands, and the limo wound its way through the crowded streets.

At the same time, Anthony pulled his car up in front of Amy's apartment. Amy looked up at the windows, sighing. "Well, she's definitely home. Kitty likes to leave every light in the apartment on when she's there. Our electric bill can be murder sometimes." She unbuckled. "Well, let's go see what she wanted."

Anthony nodded, and they got out of the car and headed upstairs. Amy opened the door, and she and Anthony were immediately assaulted by a loud cry of "SURPRISE!"

The apartment had been decorated. Blue and gold balloons were everywhere, and a large banner on the far right wall read 'WELCOME HOME!' A large table with food and drinks sat underneath it.

Amy and Anthony looked at the apartment, then at each other, and then back again at the decorations, completely and utterly bewildered. At that moment, Kitty came out of the kitchen, beaming at them. "You made it! Guys, they're here!"

Amy stepped into the apartment, followed by Anthony. "Katherine, what is going on? Hello Dylan."

Dylan, who had walked in from the balcony, smiled and waved. "Hello!"

Amy nodded a greeting, and then turned back to her sister. "Explain."

Kitty gulped and looked at the floor. "I wanted to throw you a welcome home party, but I didn't know who to invite or what to bring, so I called Dylan and asked her if the Angels would help. She said they'd be happy to, since you're a friend, and they love parties. Alex and Natalie went out a few moments ago to get some more drinks-just sodas!" She smiled. "I made the banner myself. Are you mad at me?"

Amy smiled and hugged her, planting a soft kiss on the crown of her head. "No, Kitty. But I am surprised."

Kitty smiled in relief and looked over at Anthony. "Are you mad?" He gave her a soft smile and shook his head, then went over to the drinks table and grabbed a can of Coke. Dylan grinned at him. "Nice to see you again."

Anthony nodded, smiling, and Dylan reached into her pocket and pulled out a cigarette. "Want one?" He shook his head, making a slashing motion, and she chuckled. "You quit?" He nodded, and she shook her head in amazement. "Wow." He gave her a look that clearly said 'I have my reasons', and she dropped the subject. "Nat and Alex should be back soon."

At that moment, the two other Angels entered, both laden down with drinks. Nat grinned at Amy. "Hi! So glad you could make it!"

Amy chuckled. "Well, it is my party. And I say that we should get started!"

A few hours later, when everyone was sitting in the living room talking, Amy looked up at Anthony, a small smile on her face. "So, do you think we should tell them our surprise?" He nodded, and Kitty gave them a penetrating look.

"What surprise?"

Amy grinned. "Well, actually, it's two surprises. But we won't tell you if you don't say please."

A chorus of "Please" followed, and Amy chuckled. "Very well. The first surprise….we're getting married."

The Angels and Kitty broke into wide grins and began spouting out congratulations, overlapping each other.

"That's marvelous!"

"Wonderful!"

"I'm so thrilled for both of you!"

"Can I be a bridesmaid, Amy? Please?"

Amy laughed. "Yes, Kitty, you can be a bridesmaid. Would you care to hear the second surprise?" Everyone nodded, and she took a breath before continuing. "I'm pregnant."

Kitty beamed. "I'm going to be an Aunt?" Amy nodded, and she whooped in joy. "ALRIGHT!" She leapt off the couch and hugged her sister, then-much to his surprise-Anthony. Kitty giggled. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

Alex smiled. "Congratulations, both of you. Anthony…did you…"

He glared at her, scribbling on his pad, then handed it over to her. _'No. I asked because I love her. The fact that she is having my child is simply a lovely bonus.'_ Alex nodded, satisfied, and Nat broke the awkward silence by raising her can of Sprite.

"Well, I propose a toast! To Anthony and Amelia, may they be happy!" Everyone raised their drinks. At that moment, a cell phone rang, and Dylan smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, that's me. Hello? Hey Boz, what's up?" A dark frown appeared on her face. "Are you sure? When? Right, thanks." She snapped her phone off, a frown on her face. Nat looked over at her.

"Dylan? What's wrong?"

Dylan sighed, and then looked over at Anthony and Amelia. "Malcolm Deavers has been released from jail."


	3. Chapter 3 Comfort and Protection

In Darkness, Angels

Chapter Three: Comfort and Protection

Amy stared at Dylan, and then spoke through lips that felt numb. "What?"

Dylan huffed. "According to what Charlie told Bosley, Deavers' bail was paid by a, and I quote 'mysterious woman' three hours ago. Which means that they could be anywhere by now." She looked over at Amy, and was startled to see her rocking back and forth on the couch, muttering over and over.

"He'sgoingtokillmehe'sgoingtokillmehe'sgoingtokillme…"

Anthony grabbed her shoulders, stilling her frantic rocking, and she buried herself in his chest, shaking and sobbing in fear. Anthony held her as tightly as he could, stroking her spine and humming in an effort to calm her down. Eventually, Amy's sobs tapered off and she turned her head to look over at the Angels. "What did the woman look like?"

Dylan shrugged. "The clerk at the jail only saw a pair of large sunglasses and a lady's hat. Look, why don't we head over to the jail and see what they can tell us there? Amy, I'm sorry that your party had to be cut short like this."

Amy chuckled through her tears. "That's okay, we can continue some other time. Thank you for all your help, though." The Angels grinned at her, and Alex answered for them.

"Not a problem. Tell you what, give us your cell number and we'll call you the minute we find anything out." Amy wrote it down, and then handed it over to Alex. "Thanks. And congratulations, you two. I hope we're invited to the wedding."

Amy and Anthony nodded, and Nat beamed. "Oh, I just love weddings! The bride always looks so beautiful, and the dancing is so much fun, and the food, and the drinks, and…"

"Nat!"

"Sorry, I'm coming, I'm coming!"

After the Angels left, Kitty gave her sister a half smile. "Some party, huh?"

Amy laughed weakly. "Yeah. It certainly was full of surprises. Kitty, I want you to do me a favor. Pack a bag and go stay with Jessalyn for about a week."

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to be staying at Anthony's, since his apartment has better security, and I don't want you staying here by yourself while Deavers is out on the streets. If you want, you can raid the emergency cash stash and take out fifty dollars. That should get you through the week if you don't overspend."

Kitty nodded. "What do I tell her parents?"

Amy frowned. "Tell them I had to go out of town on business."

Kitty smiled. "That's believable, they'll buy that. Can I ask another question?" Amy nodded. "Is the real reason you don't want me to come to Anthony's with you because you want to be able to have sex?"

Amy glared at her sister. "That's part of the reason, but the other part is there's no place for you to sleep. A least Jessalyn's got a guest bedroom. Now, if you're finished prying into my personal life, go get packed." Kitty laughed, then left to get her suitcase out of the hall closet, and Amy looked up at Anthony. "Could you drive her over there?" Anthony nodded. "Good. It's not too far."

Later, after Anthony had dropped off Kitty at her friend's house, he and Amy returned to his apartment. Amy collapsed on the couch, and Anthony sat next to her, draping his arm over her shoulder and pulling her close. "Anthony?"

"Mmmm?"

"I'm scared."

Anthony pulled his pad out of his pocket, spreading it out on his lap. _'Don't be, I'm here.'_

"I can't help it. Deavers isn't sane, and whoever paid his bail must have a few screws missing as well. The idea of him being out there….it scares me."

_'It scares me too, but for a different reason. Amy, if anything happened to you or the baby, I'd most likely go insane with grief. I can't imagine my life without you in it. It's almost as though I've lived two separate lives-one before I met you, and now this one. I don't want to go back to how I was before. You gave me a reason to live, not simply exist. Trust the Angels, they know their jobs. What I'm concerned with now is keeping my fiancé and my unborn child safe. I may not kill for a living anymore, but I haven't lost my skills.'_

Amy giggled wickedly. "No, you definitely haven't!" Anthony gave her a wicked smile and pinned her to the couch, kissing her, and she slipped her hands inside his shirt, stroking his spine, and then moving to his stomach, pressing her palms flat against his muscles. Anthony moaned in his throat as Amy's fingers stroked his chest and stomach. Then she tweaked his nipple, sending a shock of electricity straight through him, and he groaned and pressed himself deeper into her, half hard already.

They stood from the couch and made their way into the bedroom, carefully-if a bit frantically-shedding each other's clothes. Amy's knees bumped the edge of the bed, and she moved onto it, pulling Anthony with her. He reached down and pulled the sheets over them.

They made love slowly, each wanting to take and receive comfort from the other. Anthony linked his hands in hers, moving inside her in a strong, steady rhythm as he kissed her everywhere, crooning softly. He twined his other hand in her hair, stroking it between his fingers, tugging gently on the locks. 'She feels so heavenly. I will never let anything happen to you, my Amelia. I swear it.'

At the same time that Amy and Anthony were locked in a passionate embrace, Malcolm Deavers and the 'mysterious woman' were having a frank discussion. The woman, who had obviously had extensive plastic surgery, spoke in a raspy voice. "Here's the plan, Deavers. My sources tell me that Anthony and that girl-Amelia, did you say?" Malcolm nodded, and the woman snorted. "Nasty, common name. Anyway, they go to the Green Forest Café for lunch every Tuesday. I've got a man working there, and he says he'll be able to slip them both something that will knock them out for a few hours, long enough to bring them here. After that, what we do to them is up to us. I do hope you've got a strong stomach, since I plan on having quite a bit of…fun with Anthony."

Deavers giggled madly. "Don't worry; I have quite a few things planned for that worthless little slut. She's going to find out what a real man feels like."

At the Townsend Agency, everything was quiet. Bosley was playing solitaire and losing when his phone rang. He flipped over his card, revealing the ten of hearts, grumbled in anger, and clicked on his phone. "Bosley here."

"Hey Boz, it's Nat. I'm going to be sending some security camera footage to the main computer there; could you try and enhance the photo?"

Bosley frowned. "Well…I…"

Nat's voice was soothing. "Don't worry, Boz, I'll talk you through it." Bosley sighed in relief, and then went over to the computer, clicking it on. Nat's voice came back. "Okay, you should see something that says 'new file.' Click on that."

Bosley obeyed, and a fuzzy image popped up on screen. "Okay, got it. Pretty damn fuzzy though-looks like it was taken underwater. How do I clean it up?"

"Look on the bottom of the screen. There should be a bar with a cursor attached. Move the mouse across the bar until the picture clears."

"Alright, hang on." Bosley ran the mouse's cursor across the bar, and the picture gradually became more defined. "Okay, the image is clear, but the lady's face is still hidden. Wait, hold on. There's something on her arm. How do I zoom in?"

"Click on the part you want magnified. The more you click, the bigger the spot."

Bosley clicked a few times, and then gaped in shock at the new picture. "Nat, I'm going to send this, and tell me if I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing."

"Okay, Boz. It's coming through….oh shit. Yeah, it's what you think it is. Thanks Boz." Nat snapped her phone off, and she and Dylan stared grimly at the picture in front of them-an arm, with a clear burn that went from the elbow to the wrist. Dylan readjusted the picture, sighing.

"This is not good."

Nat nodded. "I agree, I'm calling Amy." She dialed, then took the phone from her ear, cursing. "Damn it. Out of range."

Dylan sighed. "Well, she's with Anthony, so I'm pretty sure she's safe. He'd kill anyone that tried to touch her. The most we can do right now is make sure that Deavers is caught before anything happens."

The other Angels nodded in agreement.

Anthony detached himself from a sleeping Amelia and walked out onto the balcony, staring down at the lights of the city below him. Somewhere out there was a monster that wanted to take away his angel. He clenched his fists, shaking in fury at the thought, then after a few moments, turned and headed back for the bed and his love's arms.

He ran his fingers through her hair, marveling at the fierce protection and love that she had awoken in him. He would keep her safe, protect her from harm, and if necessary, he would die for her.

She was his world.


	4. Chapter 4 Deception and Abduction

In Darkness, Angels

Chapter Four: Deception and Abduction

When Anthony woke up the next morning to discover that Amy wasn't next to him, he felt a brief moment of panic before he realized that he could hear the shower running. He heaved a sigh of relief then climbed out of bed, deciding that he would join her for a nice morning shower.

When he entered the bathroom, the steam from the shower nearly blinded him. He waved his hand in front of his face, coughing, and heard the sound of low sobs coming from the shower. He opened the curtain, his heart catching at the sight of Amy sitting on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chest as she cried. The hot water had run out already, and she was shivering in a combination of fear and cold.

Anthony reached over and shut off the faucet, then stepped into the shower and knelt in front of Amy, pulling her into his arms and out of the shower. When she hit the cold air of the bathroom, her flesh broke out in goose bumps and she began shaking so hard her teeth rattled. Anthony grabbed a towel and wrapped her up; vigorously drying her hair, then gave her a concerned look.

"I…I'm…o…okk…kay. I just…I guess I started thinking about…Deavers…and…I got scared…"

Anthony led her out of the bathroom and back to the bed, laying down next to her and pulling her close, rubbing her arms through the towel and pulling the blanket over her legs. Eventually, her shivering stopped, and she pressed against his warm body with a sigh. "Anthony, do you think I'm a fool?"

He shook his head, and then gave her a baffled look, and she sighed, stroking his chest. "I'm just so scared that something will happen. If I lose you…or…what if…what if…" she gulped back tears. "What if I lose the baby?"

He shook his head again, and then kissed her, communicating his reassurance. As he kissed her, she felt him slowly removing the towel. "You want a little morning loving?" He gave her a wicked, eager smile, and she gave a pretend sigh of resignation. "A woman's work is never done."

Anthony tossed the towel into the nearby hamper and shifted himself so he was on top of her, then threaded his fingers in her hair, still kissing her. Amy slid her hand down his body, stroking him into hardness, and he slipped his hand in between her legs, his talented fingers making her wet. It didn't take long-both of them knew exactly what to do to make each other squirm with need-and Amy gave a loud moan as she felt Anthony slide into her. It was a feeling that got better and better each time she experienced it, and now the fact that these blissful moments had produced a child was something that made her more elated than she had ever been. She would lie awake at night, running her hands over her stomach as she marveled at the miracle of life.

'And now I'm letting some idiot who can't let go of the past ruin my future? Well, no more!' "I'm not hiding!"

Anthony looked at her, slightly confused, and she laughed when she realized she had said the second part out loud. She stared into his eyes. "I can't hide away here forever. Eventually, I will have to go out into the big wide world. I told you once that I would never hide from Deavers, and I won't. He still scares me, but he will never control me. And to prove it, I propose that we go to the Green Forest for a late breakfast. How's that sound?"

Anthony nodded, and soon the two of them were off to the cafe. When they arrived, the owner greeted them, steering them over to the best table. "Welcome back, you two. I'll be by with your drinks in just a second. Hot coffee black for the gentleman, and a raspberry mocha for the lady, right?"

Amy laughed. "That's right. We do come here quite a bit, don't we?"

The owner laughed a bit too heartily, causing Anthony to give him a piercing glance. "Yes, you two are becoming something of a fixture here. Well, I'll go get your drinks." He left, and Anthony stared after him, frowning. Amy looked over at him. "What's wrong?"

'_I don't know. Something isn't right here, but I can't pin down what it is. But he's nervous about something, you mark my word.' _

Amy nodded, trusting her lover's instinct, and glanced around the café. Besides her and Anthony, there was an elderly couple sharing an apple pie, a young man sipping on a mocha with a half eaten scone in front of him, and a woman seated by herself reading a newspaper and nursing a cup of tea. Nobody looked too suspicious to Amy.

The café owner returned, bearing their drinks. "Here you go. I made a fresh pot for my best customers, so drink up!"

Anthony sniffed his coffee. It smelled okay. He took a small sip. It tasted okay. 'I guess I was just being paranoid.' He took a drink, smiling, and then gave the owner a smile of thanks.

"Oh…you're welcome. Miss Amy, how's your mocha?"

Amy grinned. "Very…raspberryish." She took another large sip, and then blinked. "Whoa, I think I drank too fast, I'm feeling a bit…odd." She pressed her hand to her head, moaning. "I…I think I'm going to go splash some water on my face."

Anthony watched in shock and fear as she stood from the table, swayed, and then dropped to the floor in a dead faint. He gaped at her still form for a few moments in utter incomprehension, and then with a yowl of rage launched himself at the man in front of him. But as he got to his feet, a fierce wave of dizziness swept through him, sending him crashing to the floor. The last thing he saw before blackness overtook him was the woman with the paper handing the café owner a wad of bills.

The next thing he knew, he was being lifted by the arms and legs and thrown into the back of a van. He drifted in and out of consciousness as he felt the road changing from hardtop to gravel and back as he was bumped and jostled along. He had no idea where Amy was or if she was safe and that terrified him. If she was hurt, then the person responsible would suffer.

The van came to a halt, and he was lifted once again. He felt himself being carried inside a building, then up a flight of stairs and deposited on a cold wooden floor. His kidnappers left the room, locking the door behind them. Anthony rallied briefly, but then the blackness overtook him once more.

He didn't know how long he remained unconscious, but he soon became aware of voices filtering through his head.

"I think he's starting to come round."

"Well, don't just stand there, tell Dustin to bring the girl out here. We don't want Anthony to miss this, do we?"

'The girl? ! Oh God…AMY!'

A low moan came from Anthony and the people in the room with him-a woman and two men-looked over at him. The woman walked over, slapping his cheeks and speaking in a sing song voice. "Wake up, Anthony. We've got a surprise for you."

Anthony's eyes flew open, and he tried to attack the woman, but nothing happened. The realization that he was firmly tied to a chair hit him, and he struggled against his bonds to no avail. The woman laughed. "Don't try to get free, that chair is bolted to the floor. Besides, I want you to watch this." She stood and called over her shoulder. "Bring the little bitch in!"

Anthony gave a harsh, gasping sob as Amy was dragged into the room, bound, gagged, and unconscious. The man that had dragged her in deposited her in a chair directly across from Anthony, tying her up, and then snapped a capsule under her nose. Amy shot awake, her eyes wide in fear and panic, and began to struggle, tears pouring down her face.

The woman came forward and slapped her hard across the face. "Stop that this minute! Worthless chit! What ever Anthony saw in you is beyond me! Really Anthony, you go from me to….this worthless girl."

Anthony's eyes went wide in recognition, and he growled in rage at Vivian Wood. She smiled at him in insane triumph. "So you figured it out. Like my new look? You see, after you left me to die, I had some time to think about things. We were good together, weren't we? That night…do you remember?" She knelt in front of Anthony, running her fingers up and down his chest, and he shivered in revulsion. "I made you shiver in another way, remember? You were quite the animal." Vivian leaned up and kissed him, making sure Amy could see. When she finished, she looked over at Dustin. "Take the gag out of her mouth." He obeyed, and Amy spat out bits of cloth and glared at her.

"He's mine."

Vivian laughed. "Not for long, girly. You see, there's a friend of yours here, and he's got a few very interesting things in mind for you. Whereas I think I'd like to…punish Anthony for leaving me all alone at that mission house. I also love an audience, so I'm going to let both of you watch the other get punished. Dustin, go and see if Malcolm is ready yet." Dustin left the room, and Vivian turned back to Anthony. "I think maybe I'll let you watch first this time. Would you like that?"

Anthony growled at her in rage, and she chuckled. "I thought you would! Ahh, Malcolm! I trust you are prepared?"

"Indeed I am."

Amy went stiff with terror as she heard Deavers' voice from behind her. It was deadly cold and insane. Then he stepped into her vision, and she went white. His face was lit with an insane smile, and in his hand he held a knotted rope. "Time for a whipping, my girl. Dustin, if you would?"

Dustin tore Amy's shirt and bra off, and Deavers smiled. "Thank you. Now, I did get in a bit of practice, but I can't promise that I'll be as precise as I want. You'll just have to put up with me." He raised the rope, bringing it down across her shoulders in a stinging arc, and Amy bit her lip as tears of pain leaked from her eyes. Deavers struck again, this time across her breasts, drawing a fine line of blood, and Amy whimpered, and then fell silent. Again and again the rope landed on her breasts and back, but she refused to scream even as she was whipped bloody.

Anthony tried to look away, but two of Vivian's goons held his head, forcing him to watch, and he felt a sickening despair at the knowledge that there was nothing he could do to stop this. He heard Vivian laugh, and felt a wave of hatred so powerful that it sent him reeling. He looked up at Vivian, and was pleased to see her blanch at the look of pure hatred on his face.

Deavers was panting hard from exertion. He knelt in front of Amy, grabbing her chin in his hand and forcing her to look at him. "You think this is the worst I'm going to do? This…is nothing. I've got some very interesting things planned. You'll end up screaming, I promise."

He gave her right breast a painful twist, and Amy yelped, then gave a low chuckle and glared at him in contempt. "What's wrong, Deavers? Can't you get it up unless I scream? I'd guess not, but even if you could, it's probably not even worth the effort for a tiny thing like yours."

Deavers glared at her in rage for a moment, then backhanded her as hard as he could, splitting open her lip. Amy spat out blood, giving him a bloody grin. Deavers grabbed her shoulders, shaking her hard and screaming at her, spittle flying from his mouth. "DON'T. YOU. EVER. SAY THAT TO ME! YOU WORTHLESS WHORE, I'LL SHOW YOU HOW 'TINY' I AM!"

Amy began shaking. "No…please…don't…please…" She yelped in terror as Deavers pressed himself against her, grinding hard into her pelvis and giving her breast a painful squeeze.

"I'll show you, you little asshole…you're going to experience a real man…and that silent ape over there can't do a damn thing to stop it!" He looked over at Anthony. "Make sure you pay attention, dummy. You might just learn something." He gave Amy's inner thigh a hard squeeze, then kissed her, shoving his tongue inside her mouth and biting her lip hard. "Oh…baby you are going to feel me…I'm going to give you a real nice hard fuck…one that I think I deserve…"

"No…no…please…please stop…please…don't…Malcolm…please….please don't…" Amy sobbed as her shorts were yanked down, and Deavers glanced at her panties.

"Black silk. Naughty girl. You'll have to be punished for…What the hell was that?"

From below came the sounds of fighting. Vivian frowned, turning to the goons that were holding Anthony. "Go see what that is!" They immediately left, and Vivian turned back to Malcolm. "Well, what are you waiting for? Keep going, this is fascinating."

Anthony watched, tears of helplessness and rage flowing down his face as Deavers forced Amy's legs open wide, his hands digging so deeply into her thighs that his nails drew blood. He was about to yank off her panties when the door burst open.

The Angels had arrived. Nat glared at Vivian. "Hello, Miss Wood. Long time, no see." She stepped forward, and the fight began.

Dylan and Alex ran into the room, yanking Deavers off Amy and giving him a blow to the head that sent him crashing to the floor. Dylan quickly untied Amy, then took off her jacket and wrapped it around her. Amy was shaking, her eyes blank as she stared into the middle distance.

Alex untied Anthony, and he realized that Nat had knocked Vivian into a bookcase. She blinked, dizzy, and Anthony's hands itched for his sword. He stood, letting the ropes fall, and advanced on Vivian, his eyes hard with hate. Nat noticed the look in his eyes and stepped back. Anthony stepped forward, and then wrapped his fingers around Vivian's throat, squeezing hard, his face alight with the joy of the kill. Vivian gasped, and Anthony dug his fingers in deeper. Vivian clawed at his hands, but it did no good.

Then Anthony twisted his hands, and there was a sickening crack as Vivian's neck was broken. Anthony dropped her corpse to the ground, and then flew over to Amy, pulling her into his arms with a cry of relief. She blinked, and then pressed her ear to his shirt, listening intently. A mighty shudder ran through her, and she wailed, and then clung to him, shaking and sobbing, her breath coming in great heaving gasps.

Dylan looked over at Alex and Nat. "We'd better call an ambulance."

Nat nodded, her eyes on the two people that were clinging to each other, each completely unaware of anything else.

'Now that is love.'

_**Note: You'll find out how the Angels knew where to find them in the next chapter. Oh, and the baby is fine. **_


	5. Chapter 5 The Calm After The Storm

In Darkness, Angels

Chapter Five: The Calm after the Storm

The ambulance and police had arrived, taking Anthony and Amy to the hospital, Deavers back into custody at the County Jail, and Vivian Wood to the morgue. The Angels accompanied Anthony to the hospital, Dylan riding in the ambulance. Amy was drifting in and out of unconsciousness as her body began to react to the hours of torture that it had undergone. She had grabbed Anthony's hand as he sat next to her, and neither of the EMTs had been able to pry her loose. Anthony kept his gaze fixed on her face, tears slowly pouring down his cheeks as he silently cursed himself for an idiotic fool.

Dylan looked over at him, opening her mouth to say something before falling silent. She looked at Amy. The paramedics had cleaned up the blood, but there were several long, deep and nasty cuts across her chest and breasts, and her breathing was shallow and rapid. Her eyes were fluttering, and every so often a great shudder would run through her.

Then Amy began convulsing, and Anthony cried out in alarm as she thrashed about. The medics reacted immediately, one holding Amy in place while the other reached for a syringe. Anthony grabbed his wrist in a vice-like grip, and the medic whimpered. "It's just a sedative! It won't hurt her!"

Anthony gave a keening growl and shook his head. The medic sighed. "Look, I want to help!"

Dylan reached over and placed her hand on Anthony's arm. "Anthony, let him go. He wouldn't do anything to hurt Amelia. Let him go." Anthony looked over at her, and then released the man, and he sighed, rubbing his wrist, and then injected the sedative into Amy. She immediately stopped convulsing.

Anthony reached out and stroked her forehead, then her soft, silky hair, and Dylan smiled. "You really love her, don't you?"

Anthony nodded.

When the ambulance arrived at the hospital, there was a brief moment when Dylan had to once again assure Anthony that Amy would be okay, and that he should let her go so the doctors could treat her wounds. He watched her being wheeled down the corridor, then collapsed in a hard plastic chair, his head in his hands as his body shook with silent sobs. Dylan sat across from him; her face filled with sympathy, and then looked up at the sound of footsteps, smiling wanly at Nat and Alex. "Hey."

They sat on either side of her, each trying to avoid staring too long at Anthony. The three of them were so used to seeing him as a cold assassin that this display of grief and sorrow was coming as a bit of a shock to them. Nat tried to break the silence a few times, but a glare from Dylan and she fell silent.

Anthony wiped his eyes and took a deep breath, then gave the Angels a soft smile. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out his ever present pad and pencil. _'How did you know where we were?' _

Alex answered. "We recognized Vivian from the unique burn marks on her arm and shoulders, and Nat made a few calls and checked a few sites on the Net, looking for her name. At first, we didn't find much-just a few articles about the explosion at Knox's place, but then there was an article about a woman named Valerie Wilson buying a piece of property in the Warehouse District. The article said it had once been a shoe factory."

Dylan continued. "We found a copy of the deed online and compared Valerie's signature to Vivian's-we used the contract she'd signed with Charlie. The two signatures were a perfect match."

Anthony nodded. _'Great, but how did you know we were there?'_

"Because I called them."

Anthony turned around, gulping as he stared at Kitty. She walked over to him, and then smacked him as hard as she could. He blinked as she began to tearfully berate him. "You swore that you would keep her safe! If my sister dies because you failed, I will kill you! Do you understand me? !"

Anthony nodded, tears in his eyes, and Kitty poked him hard in the chest. "Good."

The doors leading into the E.R opened, and the doctor, a woman in her mid thirties, walked over to where they were sitting. Dylan looked up at her. "What's the news?"

The doctor smiled. "She's going to be fine. We sewed her up, and right now she's sleeping. The medic that bought her in said she had a reaction to something, so we ran a few tests. It turns out that she had been given a large dose of sleeping powder."

Anthony released a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. _'And…the baby?'_

The doctor placed her hand on his shoulder. "Perfectly healthy."

_'I want to see her.' _

"Well, as I said, right now she's sleeping."

Anthony glared at the doctor, and then underlined what he had written. **_'I want to see her. Now.' _**

"Very well. She's in Room 32. Down the hall, make a left, and it's the first room on your right."

Anthony stood, and Dylan looked at him. "Want any of us to go with you?" He shook his head and walked off.

When he reached Room 32, he hesitated for several long moments before steeling himself and stepping into the room. He made his way over to the hospital bed, and then looked down, his heart twisting at the sight of his beloved. She was sleeping, the sheet drawn up to her waist. Her chest was plastered with bandages and here and there he could see where she had received stitches.

He leaned forward and kissed her, tears flowing down his face, then collapsed to his knees by the bed and sobbed, his entire body shaking. He hadn't truly cried since the death of his parents, but now the tears seemed to be pouring out of him in a never ending flood, and the thought that was playing over and over in his head was 'I failed her.'

"Anthony?" The sound of his name made him look up, and he found himself staring into Amy's brilliant silver eyes. She gave him a lopsided smile. "Hey, why the tears?"

He handed her his answer. _'I failed you.'_

Amy shook her head. "Is that what you think?" He nodded, and she patted the bed. "Come here, I need to tell you something." He climbed next to her, and she cupped his face in her hands and gazed deep into his eyes. "You listen to me, Anthony. You did not fail me. There is no way you could have known what was going to happen. If anything, I'm the one that should be kicking myself. I insisted that we go out."

_'You couldn't have known…' _

"Exactly. Neither of us could have guessed that this would happen, so neither of us is to blame. The only people that are to blame are Vivian and Deavers, and you killed Vivian."

_'You saw?' _

Amy nodded, and Anthony gulped. "I did, and I do not view you any differently. Anthony, I love you. Completely, utterly, deeply, and madly. I love every aspect of you, not just an ideal. You will always be my silent angel."

Anthony gave a gasp of relief and joy and kissed her, pulling her close. When they finally came up for air, Amy laid her head on his chest. "I felt your heartbeat and knew it was you. Bathump-Bathump-Bathump." He chuckled quietly, kissing the top of her head, and they lay spooned together.

The doctor came in, a soft smile on her face. "I hate to break up this tender scene, but I'm afraid visiting hours are over. You can come back and see her tomorrow."

Anthony huffed in frustration, and then gave Amy a last lingering kiss before swinging his long legs out of the bed. She sighed, looking over at the doctor. "Can I go home yet?"

"Not hardly, we need to keep you a few more days for observation."

Amy heaved a sigh of frustration. "Phooey. Anthony, you'll come back tomorrow, won't you?" He nodded, and she smiled. "Well, at least I'll have something to look forward to."

Kitty glanced up from the year old magazine she had been reading when she heard the doors open. She gulped, looking at Anthony in trepidation. "Is she doing okay?"

He smiled, nodding, and she gave a cry of relief. "Thank God. I guess this means you get to live."

_'I guess it does.'_ He looked around, his hands in his pockets. _'I'm going to go out for some fresh air; I'll be back in a bit.' _

Nat and Alex exchanged skeptical glances, and Dylan stood, heading after Anthony. She caught up with him as he was heading for the parking lot. "Where are you going?"

He gave her a withering glare. _'Guess.'_

She stood in front of the exit. "Anthony, Deavers is in jail, surrounded by guards."

_'I don't care if he's being protected by the god damn Army.' _

Dylan sighed. "Anthony, I understand that you want revenge for what Deavers did to Amy, but if you do this, the odds are good that you will be caught. You are about to be married, and you will be a father soon. Do you really want your wife and child to have to live for years without you? You have to think of the consequences of your actions."

_'What about Vivian? I snapped her neck right in front of all of you and I'm not in jail. I even recall Natalie telling the doctor that she broke it in a fall down a flight of stairs. What makes me wanting to kill Deavers any different? If anything, he deserves death more since he was the one that hurt Amy.' _

"It was just the three of us and Amy that witnessed Vivian's death. There's a good chance that Deavers cell is monitored by closed circuit cameras."

_'So I'll keep my face hidden. You seem to forget, I'm a retired professional assassin. I've killed people in crowded rooms before and nobody noticed. Now, if you are done making pathetic excuses, get out of my way.' _

Dylan sighed, realizing that further argument would be useless, and stepped aside. Anthony headed for the parking lot, turning when she shouted his name. "Hey, you'll need these!"

He caught what she threw towards him, looking down at a set of car keys. Dylan called across the lot. "They're for the red convertible! That's our car. I'll tell the others that you went for a drive." Anthony gave her a grateful smile and headed for the car.

After a brief stop at his apartment to grab a few necessities, Anthony drove to the jail, watching as people bustled in and out of the building. He parked the car down the street, and then walked over to the jail, looking for a place where he could slip in without being seen. After about ten minutes of searching, he found it-there was a fire exit door directly on his left that had been propped open by a wedge of wood. He slipped his fingers in the space, and then carefully pushed the door open, ears cocked for any alarms. Nothing happened, and Anthony slipped into the cool, dark jail, moving like a shadow along the wall. It was surprisingly quiet-apart from Deavers, the only other occupants were sound asleep, and Anthony could see that there was one guard stationed at the end of the corridor, presumably to make sure that visitors had signed in at the desk. At least that was Anthony's guess, since the guard seemed more interested in watching a baseball game on the TV in the lobby than actually doing his job. It was quite a loud game too, which Anthony knew would be to his advantage.

He slipped on a pair of leather gloves, and then took his knife out of his pocket, lovingly fingering the sharp blade. Normally he would use his sword for this sort of thing, but the knife was much more up close and personal.

He crept down the corridor, stopping when he reached Deavers' cell, grinning when he saw that he was sleeping. A few quick turns of the knife blade in the cell door's lock, and it sprung open, allowing Anthony to slip inside.

Deavers was awoken out of sleep when a hard, leather gloved hand descended on his face, pinching his nose and mouth shut. His eyes flew open, and he gazed in utter terror at the fierce hatred on Anthony's face. He blinked, seeing black spots dancing before his eyes. He struggled, but Anthony only bore down harder.

Then, much to Deavers surprise, Anthony removed his hand. He gave a great, heaving gasp-which quickly changed to a choking gurgle as his throat was slit open from ear to ear. He raised his arms, feebly beating against Anthony's hands, but then they became dead weights, falling across his chest.

The last thing Deavers saw before eternal blackness overtook him was Anthony staring down at him in a mixture of hatred and triumph.

Anthony acted quickly, placing the bloody knife in Deavers' hand and a piece of folded up paper on his chest. Inside was a carefully forged suicide note.

**'I cannot live with what I have done to Amelia. The world will be a better place without me. I let my jealousy overwhelm me, and she suffered for it.' **

After a few moments to make sure his tableau looked genuine, Anthony slipped out of the cell, locked the door behind him, and headed out for the convertible.

When he got back to his apartment, he found Dylan waiting for him. He tossed her the keys, and she gave him a wan smile. "I won't ask how it went, since I can already guess by the look on your face."

Anthony gave a wicked grin and mimed slitting his throat, and Dylan sighed. "I see. Well, you'd better get some sleep."

_'Thanks for the car.' _

"You're welcome."

_'So what did Natalie and Alex say?' _

"Nothing, they know what you're like. Besides, you saved our lives last year, so we kind of owe you."

_'True.'_ He waved goodnight to Dylan, heading for his apartment and bed. He curled up on top of the covers, burying his face in Amy's pillow and breathing in her blueberry scent. Gradually, he drifted off to sleep.

Two days and numerous visits later, Amy was ready to be released from the hospital. Anthony sat in the lobby, drumming his fingers as he glanced at the clock. It seemed as if time had slowed to a crawl. Finally, just as he was beginning to lose patience, Amy walked into the lobby. "Hey baby. Ready to take me home?"

Anthony grinned, then stood and pulled her into his arms, kissing her as hard as he could.

The door to Anthony's apartment burst open, and Anthony and Amy half stumbled, half ran in, kissing each other frantically, their hands fumbling at buttons, cloth, and zippers. Clothing was discarded haphazardly as Anthony steered her towards the bed, his hands moving over every inch of her.

Amy fell back on the bed, pulling Anthony with her, and then began to cry. "Anthony…am I still beautiful?" He smiled, cupping her face in his hands, and nodded. She gulped. "My stitches…they don't…repulse you?" Anthony shook his head in vehement denial.

'I love you.'

"Show me."

And he did-several times over.

After love, they lay together, Amy running her hand up and down his chest. Anthony sighed, and then reached across to his night table, opening the top drawer and pulling out a few sheets of folded paper, handing them to Amy and indicating that she read them.

Amy unfolded the pages, her eyes filling with tears at what she read.

_'To my soon to be wife: _

_You are the most amazing, wonderful, miraculous, and greatest thing that has ever happened to me. You saved more than my life that night, Amelia. You saved my heart and my soul, and brought me out of a long darkness into light. For the first time in my life, I had someone by my side that loved and trusted me. I don't know what I did to deserve my own angel, but know this-I will forever love you. You are my reason for being, my reason for everything. It scares me sometimes, how deeply I love you-it's an almost physical ache in my chest, but it's not one I'd trade for anything. You are my world now, and even more amazing-you are carrying my child. I haven't even met him-or her-yet, and already I'm in love. Our child will be the culmination of everything, and I can't wait to hold her in my arms. _

_I cannot wait for our wedding, and the moment we are pronounced husband and wife I am going to kiss you senseless. _

_Te iubesc, my Amelia.' _


	6. Chapter 6 Wedding Bells

In Darkness, Angels

Chapter Six: Wedding Bells

Amy opened her eyes, stretching, then beamed widely to herself as she realized what day it was. In just a few short hours, she would be marrying Anthony. She glanced over at him, smiling softly when she noticed he was still sleeping, his arm draped over her chest. Ever since the-ordeal(as she chose to think of it)-he had fallen asleep holding tightly on to her, as if to reassure himself that she was a real, solid person and not a dream. She still remembered one night not long after when she had been awoken by the sounds of Anthony whimpering and sobbing in his sleep.

She had shaken him awake, and he stared at her for a full ten minutes in fear and disbelief before tracing first her face then her arms and chest with his hands before giving a loud gasp of relief and kissing her. She had become attuned to his body language and the sounds he made when he 'spoke' to her, and gave him a sympathetic smile. "Were you scared that I wasn't real?"

He nodded, and she placed her hand on his cheek. He placed his hand on top of hers, and she gave him a soft kiss. "I'm here. I'm real, and in two weeks, I'm going to be your wife. Deavers and Vivian are both in the ground, and we have nothing more to fear. I will be here when you fall asleep, and when you wake up-for the rest of your life."

Anthony blinked back tears of joy and kissed her, slowly easing her down onto the bed and slipping his hand under her nightshirt with an eager moan.

Amy gave Anthony a gentle kiss on the cheek before slipping out of bed, throwing on the nearest item of clothing she could find-which happened to be his shirt. It came down to her knees, and she sighed as she inhaled his unique scent. He hadn't smoked in nearly a month, but his clothes still carried the lingering odor of cloves.

She walked out onto the balcony, watching as the city below slowly stirred to life, and reflected on the fact that Anthony's quitting was going rather well-at least now. For the first week, he had been nearly impossible to live with-moody, irritable, and snappish. He would show his anger by turning away from her when she tried to talk to him, or by simply growling at her-only to stop when she threatened to start calling him 'Fido.' She had turned his apartment completely upside down to find any cigarettes he may have hidden, while he watched from the couch, tight lipped and glaring. But she got her revenge one night.

Anthony had been acting particularly unpleasant all day long-either grunting when she asked him a question or tried to speak to him, or simply acting as if she wasn't there. That night, he started to head into the bedroom with her, only to have her give him a smile that made him distinctly uneasy. "You're sleeping on the couch tonight." With those words, she had shut the door and locked him out.

He had spent twenty minutes banging on the bedroom door before he realized that she wasn't going to let him in, and had trudged over to the couch for an extremely restless and uncomfortable night.

The next morning, Amy had come out to a very contrite and apologetic Anthony-he had made her pancakes. _'I'm sorry I was such an ass yesterday. Forgive me?' _

"Of course."

Amy smiled as she felt Anthony's arms wrap around her from behind and his lips nuzzled the spot just behind her ear. "Morning, love. You looking forward to this afternoon?"

"Mmm Hmm."

"Good. Wait until you see my dress, it's beautiful."

Anthony kissed her throat, and then swayed with her, his body moving to a rhythm all its own. Down below, the sun was starting to crest over the mountains, bathing everything in the soft glow of dawn. He hummed, and Amy laughed. "You sound rather happy."

"Mmm hmm."

"Could it have anything to do with our nuptials?"

"Mmm hmm."

Amy chuckled, and then turned so she was facing him, pulling him down into a deep kiss. "I'm pretty happy about it too. Right now though-I think we should have a nice breakfast to celebrate. How would you like to make some pancakes again?"

Anthony nodded, grinning, and she lead him back into the apartment. Before they went into the kitchen, he placed his hand on her arm, handing her a piece of paper. _'You look rather tasty in my shirt, babe. Are you trying to seduce me?' _

"I have to try now?"

Anthony chuckled at the mock disappointment in her voice, and shook his head. _'No, you manage with very little effort.'_

"Good. Well, if you would be good enough as to get your mind out of the gutter and your hand off my breast, we can get breakfast started. I'm starving."

Anthony gave her breast a gentle squeeze before releasing her and heading into the kitchen, pulling out eggs, milk, and pancake batter, setting them neatly on the counter, and then grabbing the mixing bowls from the cupboard below. 'Amy, get down the measuring cups, please.'

Amy gave him a mock glare. "Is this just a thinly veiled excuse for you to see my ass?" Anthony giggled, nodding, and she rolled her eyes and opened the top cupboard, stretching on her tiptoes. Anthony peeked up her shirt, growling in appreciation at the sight, and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Behave." She got down the measuring cup, giving him an exasperated glare. "Anything else you need?" He shook his head, still chuckling, and she reached into the box of pancake batter, gathered a bit in her hands, and chucked it at him, coating his face and hair. He blinked at her in surprise, then casually reached into the box and dumped a handful of batter on her head, turning her dark hair white.

Amy shrieked in laughter and surprise, and in no time at all a fully fledged batter fight was in progress. By the time it was finished, they both looked like ghosts due to all the batter that they had dumped on or thrown at each other. The kitchen itself was no better-pancake batter was all over the floor and counters. Fortunately, there was still enough batter left to make a decent batch of pancakes.

After breakfast had been eaten, and the kitchen restored to order, they climbed into the shower to wash away the batter. Amy shut her eyes as the hot water ran over her scars, sighing. Her stitches had been removed a week ago, and luckily the scars had not been too large.

She felt Anthony pressing against her, his teeth nibbling up and down her throat, and sighed happily, encouraging him to continue. He kissed the valley between her breasts, lapping up the beads of water, and then laved his tongue across her right breast, hardening it. He did the same with her left breast, and then drew it into his mouth, sucking deeply. His left hand squeezed and plied at her right breast while his right slid down her wet body to her sex, stroking and fondling her-gently at first, but then with increasing fervor, and Amy growled his name and began moving against his hand. "Anthony…more…please."

He tugged her nipple between his teeth, then released her, sliding down to his knees in front of her, and licked her roughly, his fingers still plying her wet folds. Amy gave a harsh cry and shifted herself so her knees rested on his shoulders, and Anthony plunged his tongue deep inside her, devouring her with a fierce, intense passion she had never before experienced. She was reduced to sobs as her body trembled and shook with pleasure, and she grasped the shower curtain in a death grip, screaming and sobbing his name in pleasure as the most powerful orgasms she had ever felt rocketed through her.

"Please my love! My legs are getting too weak to hold me up!"

Anthony released her, and she fell back against the wall, her entire body trembling. He stood, holding her steady, and she gave him a soft smile. "Give…me a moment to get my strength back?" He nodded, and held her while she waited for the feeling to come back in her legs. After a few moments had passed, she took a deep breath, and then gave him a smile that made him even harder than he already was. "I'm ready."

Anthony plunged into her with a loud cry, kissing her as hard as he could, pressing her against the wall, and she hooked her legs around his waist and matched him move for move.

A loud cry poured from her throat as she came, her head thrown back in bliss, and Anthony screamed as well, biting her throat and yanking hard on her hair. Then, they both sank to the shower floor, panting. After a bit, they had recovered well enough to exit the shower.

Amy touched the spot where he had bitten her, giving him a semi-exasperated glance. "That hurt, you know." She giggled at his downcast expression. "But I suppose I can forgive you this once. Besides, I've got to go by my apartment and get my wedding dress. I'll meet you at the City Hall in an hour, okay?" He nodded, and she gave him a quick kiss before heading into the bedroom to get dressed.

After she left, he lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. 'I'm going to be married. I'm going to have a wife. I'm going to be a father.' He grinned widely, marveling on how much his life had changed in just a year. He stood and walked over to his closet, selecting the finest suit he had-one made of deep black silk, then found a dark red tie to complete the ensemble. After a brief glance in the closet mirror, and a quick smoothing down of his hair, he headed out to City Hall.

When he pulled up, he saw Natalie standing on the steps with a young man he didn't recognize. She waved at him as he exited the car. "Hi Anthony! This is Pete. Pete, this is Anthony."

Pete grinned at him, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Anthony." Anthony shook his hand, and then addressed Nat.

'Is Amy here yet?'

"She's inside waiting for you, and she looks amazing."

Anthony followed Nat and Pete inside, then down the hall to a large room. Dylan stood in the doorway, blocking his view, and grinned, calling over her shoulder. "He's here, Amy!"

Amy's voice held a note of amusement. "Finally! Let him by, I want him to see what I look like."

Dylan laughed and stepped aside. Anthony stepped into the room and his jaw dropped. Amy looked….beautiful. The dress she was wearing was a deep green, and the skirt flowed down to her ankles. The front of the dress dipped enough to show off her breasts, and the sleeves were sheer, showing off her long arms to great and mouth watering effect. She had brushed her mahogany hair until it shone, and it fell in soft waves against her bare shoulders. Anthony couldn't take his eyes off her. He was vaguely aware that her sister and the Angels were in the room.

Amy smiled. "Like it?" He nodded, and then grinned at her. "Good. Now, are you ready to be married?" An eager nod and she laughed. "Me too."

Anthony jumped a bit at the sound of someone speaking near the door. "Good, you're here." He turned, giving the speaker-a plump man in his late fifties-a questioning glance. "I'm Thom Redding, and I'll be marrying you today. Now, I understand from your fiancé that you're a mute, correct?" Anthony nodded, and Redding smiled. "Well, that won't be a problem. And I see that you've already gotten the license-you just need to sign it. Very good. Now, we can proceed. Anton…Dragomir? Did I say that right?" Anthony nodded, and Redding smiled in relief. "Good. Anton, will you take Amelia Chase to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and honor from this day until death part you?" Anthony nodded, and Redding turned to Amy. "Amelia Chase, do you take Anton Dragomir to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and hold, to love and honor, from this day until death part you?"

"I do."

"Then by the power vested in me by the state of California, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Anthony beamed, grabbed Amy around her waist, then kissed as hard as he could, bending her backwards.

He had found his angel in the darkness.


	7. Chapter 7 The Littlest Angel

In Darkness, Angels

Chapter Seven: The Littlest Angel

Amy sighed, stretching her legs out in front of her and leaning back against the couch. She was currently in her last week of pregnancy, and her husband was going to drive her bonkers. Anthony, excited and a bit nervous over the prospect of being a first time father, had been waiting on her hand and foot for a week. At first, the gesture had been rather sweet, and she was duly flattered. But now-"Anthony, for the last time, you don't need to hover over me! I'm not the first pregnant woman and I can guaran-damn-te you I won't be the last. Now, please, leave me alone or you are sleeping on the couch!"

Anthony frowned at her. _'You're not just __**a**__ pregnant woman. You're __**my**__ pregnant woman.' _

Amy rolled her eyes, crumpled up his paper, and tossed it at his head. "Yes, babe, but that doesn't mean I've suddenly become helpless. I've carried this child rather well, and my mood swings have been…ummm….bought under control."

Anthony chuckled. _'Yes, like last week when you threw an ashtray at my head.' _

Amy frowned. "You managed to duck in time, and I apologized." She sighed, and Anthony wrapped his arm around her. "I really am sorry about all the grief I've been causing you lately. It's just that…Oooof!"

Anthony looked over at his wife, concern on his face, and she gave a slight smile. "I'm okay, it was probably just…OW!"

Amy yelped as she felt a sharp pain in her stomach, and her eyes widened. Surely she couldn't be going into labor! She wasn't due for another week! 'It's probably just a false alarm. It will pass in a…' She yelped out loud as another spasm hit, and realized the truth. "Anthony…I think I'm in labor."

Anthony, being the tough and reliable ex-assassin and responsible husband that he was, responded in the time honored manner of all expectant fathers.

That is, he panicked. He stared at Amy for nearly five minutes in total incomprehension before vaulting off the couch and grabbing the car keys off the kitchen counter, then running out of the apartment door. He got half way down the hall when he realized he had forgotten Amy.

Amy bit back a grin as Anthony came back into the apartment, a downcast expression on his face. "Forget something?" He gave her an embarrassed smile and she chuckled. "Well, come on over here and help me up." He walked over to her, gently lifting her to her feet, and Amy moaned in pain as another contraction hit. "Oooh…get me to the damn hospital! This baby isn't going to wait much longer!"

Anthony nodded and steered her out to the car. Once she was situated, he sped off towards the hospital. Amy dug her phone out of the dashboard and flipped it open, dialing. "C'mon, pick up, pick up."

"_**Hello?" **_

"Kitty?"

"_**Yeah, Amy, what's up?" **_

"What's up is that Anthony and I are on the way to the hospital."

Amy heard her sister gasp in concern. _**"Are you okay? Are you hurt? What's going on?"**_

Amy chuckled, then whimpered as another contraction hit. "I'm fine, but if you want to meet your niece or nephew you'd better hurry!"

Amy had to hold the phone away from her ear when Kitty gave a loud screech of delight. _**"YES! I'll be over right away-I'll ask Jessalyn's mum to drop me off! Oh, are you going to call the Angels?"**_

"You…oooof…you can call them. We're about to pull into the parking lot, so I've gotta hang up. Bye, Kitty Kat."

"_**Bye!" **_

Kitty grinned widely, turning to her best friend. "My sister's going to have her baby!"

Jessalyn, a girl of sixteen with light brown hair and blue eyes, grinned back. "That's awesome!"

"I know." Kitty quickly dialed Dylan's number, humming to herself.

"**Dylan Sanders." **

"Dylan? It's Kitty Chase. Amy's sister?"

"**I remember, Kitty. What's going on?" **

"Well, Amy is about to have her baby, and I was wondering if…"

"**Of course, I'd love to meet the child! I'll call Alex and Nat to let them know what's going on. Do you need a lift to the hospital?" **

"No, I've got a ride."

"**Okay. Bye, Kitty." **

Anthony pulled the car to a halt, than carefully helped Amy out of the car and into the ER. The nurse at the desk looked up when they came in, and recognized the signs of a woman in labor. She immediately rushed over to Amy. "How far apart are the contractions?"

Amy winced. "About every five minutes."

The nurse nodded. "Alright, let's get you into a room and a bed." She looked over at Anthony. "You the husband?" He nodded, and she smiled. "Alright, then come along. It may be a bit before she's completely ready, and I'm sure she could use your company."

Amy nodded, biting her lip against the pain, and the nurse gave her a sympathetic smile. "I'll get wheelchair for you."

Five minutes later, Amy had been wheeled up to Maternity and was lying in bed. Anthony sat next to her, stroking her arm and crooning softly, trying to keep her calm. He looked up as a shadow fell across the bed.

"Mrs. Dragomir?'

Amy nodded at the man who had entered. "Yeah, that's me. Who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Gearhardt, and I'll be helping you to bring your child into the world." He looked over at Anthony. "There are some scrubs in the closet outside."

Anthony frowned at him in confusion, and Amy grinned. "Love, it's for sanitary purposes. You'll get to take them off once the baby is born, I promise. Go get changed." Anthony gave her a doubtful look, but left the room, and Dr. Gearhardt turned to her.

"Silent type?"

Amy nodded. "Well, he's mute."

The doctor nodded. "Is he deaf as well?"

Amy glared at him. "No, and he is not slow either. He is extremely intelligent, and he can communicate quite well!" She grinned at Anthony, who had come sneaking back into the room, garbed in scrubs. "You look very handsome, love."

He rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her. _'I feel foolish.'_

Amy giggled. "I'm not lying; you do look very….SHITFIRE!" She yowled in pain as the strongest contraction she had felt yet ripped through her, leaving her breathless with pain. "Jesus that….OWWW!"

Dr. Gearhardt came forward and checked her, much to the shock of Anthony. "Okay, you're dilated enough. When I give the word, I want you to push. Okay?" Amy nodded, tears leaking from her eyes, and he smiled, and then addressed Anthony. "Why don't you get behind her for support?"

Anthony climbed onto the bed, pulling Amy into his arms and gently squeezing her hand, crooning at her. Dr. Gearhardt looked up at Amy. "Okay, start pushing."

Amy bore down with all her might, screaming, and Anthony yelped as his hand was squeezed in a crushing grip. After a few moments, Amy stopped, panting in exhaustion. "This…is…tough."

Dr. Gearhardt laughed. "Yes, but you're not the first woman to give birth. Keep pushing."

Amy glared at him, but bore down once more. "DAMNIT THIS HURTS! ANTON, NU SUNTETI NICIODATA MA ATING DIN NOU!"

Anthony pouted at her, and Dr. Gearhardt looked up, confused. "What did she say?"

Amy grimaced. "I said that he is never touching me again!"

Dr. Gearhardt laughed in understanding. "Ahhh, I see. Well, I've got good news. I can see the head, you're almost there."

Amy bore down with all her might, yelling in pain, and Anthony yowled as she crushed his hand. Then there was a sound that made his eyes go wide with wonder-the indignant howl of a newborn babe. Amy fell back against him, panting. "I….did it."

Dr. Gearhardt smiled up at her. "You certainly did. I'll get the nurse to clean her off."

Amy blinked back tears of happiness. "Her?"

"You've had a beautiful daughter."

He handed the baby over to the Nurse, who quickly cleaned her off, wrapped her in cloths, and then placed her in Amy's arms with a smile. "There you go."

Amy felt her eyes blur with tears of joy as she looked down at her daughter. The babe was staring up at her parents in wide eyed wonder, and Amy gulped before addressing her. "Hello, my little love. I'm your Mommy, and that's your Daddy. He can't talk, but he loves you as much as I do. You are the accumulation of everything we have waited for, and we love you utterly and completely." She looked up at Anthony. "Hold out your arms." He did, gulping, and she placed the infant in them. "She won't break, Anthony. You don't have to worry."

Anthony gazed at his daughter in rapt wonder, tears of joy and happiness flowing down his face. In just a year, his life had been turned upside down. He had met and married a silver eyed angel, nearly lost her to a madwoman, and now-she was holding their daughter in her arms. He gently brushed a strand of tiny hair out of the babe's forehead, crooning. He beamed when he noticed that his daughter had his blue eyes-and deep down he could see a glint of silver.

Amy looked up when she heard a gasp of delight. "Hey Kitty, what kept you?"

Kitty came into the room, grinning at them. "Jessalyn's mum didn't get back from errands until a few minutes ago, and she had the car. Dylan and the others are heading up." She gently touched the baby's forehead. "Hi, I'm your Aunt Kitty. You're so adorable. Do you have a name yet?"

Amy nodded, and then took the babe from Anthony. "Ofelia." Anthony beamed at her in approval, and Kitty smiled.

"I love it. Hello, Ofelia." Kitty leaned down and kissed her niece on the forehead.

"Is this where the baby is?"

Amy laughed at Nat's eager expression. "It is. Would you like to meet her?"

The Angels nodded, and Amy beckoned them to come in. They gazed at Ofelia, grinning, and Alex was the first to speak. "Oh she's so adorably tiny! What's her name?"

"Ofelia Porcelain Dragomir."

Dylan smiled. "Perfect name for her. She's got her mommy's hair and her daddy's eyes."

Amy beamed. "She's also got our hearts." She hummed for a few moments, than began to sing to Ofelia, rocking her gently.

"_Oh my lovely rose of Clare,_

_You're the sweetest girl I know, _

_You're the Queen of all the roses _

_Like the pretty flowers that grow,_

_You are the sunshine of my life _

_So beautiful and fair,_

_And I will always love you. _

_My lovely Rose of Clare. _

_Oh the sun it shines out like a jewel, _

_On the lovely hills of Clare, _

_As I strolled along with my sweet lass, _

_One evening at the fair, _

_Her eyes they shone like silver streams, _

_Her long and golden hair, _

_For I have won the heart of one. _

_My lovely Rose of Clare. _

_As we walked down by the river bank, _

_Watched the Shannon flowing by, _

_And listened to the nightingale, _

_Singing songs for you and I, _

_And to say farewell to all you true and fair, _

_For I have stolen the heart of one, _

_My lovely Rose of Clare." _

Anthony smiled as the last notes of Amy's song washed over him. He had gone from being lost in the dark to living in the light, and he now had a wife and a beautiful daughter to spend the rest of his days with.

He had never felt so blessed and lucky in his life.

THE END.


End file.
